A superb collection of subtle, subdued improv
RDS | Toronto, Canada | 05/19/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Oil is a collaboration between Hans Teuber on alto sax and Paul Rucker on cello. Although emerging from improvisations, these pieces feel nonetheless fairly tight, rather like rehearsed improv, a re-approaching of material they had likely unearthed in previous sessions, the freedoms seemingly stripped away in favour of a more polished approach to the recording. The two players uncover melodic lines and playful juxtapositions, the light of the sax and the dark of the cello, occasionally meeting in their multifarious moods. On the whole, however, it's Rucker who steals the stage as being the more innovative and commanding presence here; showing that he can accomplish a great deal with his instrument, coaxing some intriguing sounds from his strings, from the very body of his cello. At times, Teuber's alto seems too light for Rucker's brooding, conflicted playing; its melodic lines and phrasings soften the edges of the trembling, fragile, and sometimes mournful bass. Usually, though, the juxtaposition of light and dark works well (for sometimes sharp edges come to the surface only to be softened by a kind of instrumental caress), the two voices complement each other in their very difference, one lighter than air, the other grounded on solid, stable footing, occasionally meeting someplace in between. Although I wish the entire project would have taken on slightly more experimentation, more of a searching for new passages, new collaborative energies, I do enjoy listening to these carefully executed, accomplished pieces, and return to them often."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1